Backstop nipple



June 6, 1944.

B. E. BAVILEY BACKSTOP NIPPLE Filed. April 1, 1942 flmala z W \L ATTORNEYS Patented June 6, 1944 w.

a as Claims. (01; 166 -'1) This invention relate to back 'stop nipples 3 An-object of thee-invention is the provision of a nippleadapted to be inserted in an' oil welllpipe line-between the lubricator and the Christmas tree on the oil well derrick for holding or catch? ing falling tools caused by a. broken line or blow out from gas pressure. while cutting paraflin or while swabbing the tubing. Y I t A further object of the invention is thepro visionlof avnipple adapted to be placedbetween the lub'ricator' and the Christmas tree, erien oil well derrick having provision therein .for holding or catching tools or for serving asfa rest fortools when moving the derrick between wells. I j j A further object of the invention .jisjthe' .provision of a back-stop nipple which is"adapted to be, used between a lubricator and'faf'Christma's tre of an oil well derrick during'the cutting'of para'fiin or during the swabbingiof "the tubing for catching falling tools" caused by a brbkenjline when said line hits the top of the 'lubri'cator orf or supporting the tools at various times,fthe nipple including a kerfed. member. manually moved to an inoperative position or retained in an opera tive position by a resilient means acrossithe 'ath offthe moving tools. '1 1 This invention will be bestun'derstood from a consideration of the following detailed description in view of the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is ROtj C OIlfined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications 'as define no, material departure from the salient features ofithe in'ven tion as expressed in the appended'claim In the drawing: r V i Figure l is a fragmentaryvertical section of a back-stop nipple constructed according to the principles of my invention, v Figure 2 is a; transverse horizontal I ak n along e ij eizrl cf F s ction Figure '3 is af view in perspective of tool su me b n e n p l I "Referring more particularly to the-drawing designates .a nipple which is in the form-era pipe or' tube which 'is-threaded at its upper end as shown at H to receive the internal threads of a lubricator. The lower end of the nipple is also threaded as shown at l2 which is adapted to be screwed into the top of the Christmas tree. The pipe is provided at one side with an elongated opening l3 which extends over a greater portion of the length of the nipple. The width of the opening, however, is relatively small as compared to the length.

A U-shaped housing generally designated by the numeral 20,-ha sidewallsrll and 227-0011 nected by a topportion 23 and inclined endwalls 24 and :25. The rim of the housing 20. is welded to the outer wall of the nipplellhas shown at-;26.

The periphery of .the open endof themember. 20 is shearedoff at an angle andis curved so thatfit w conform foe. the urvature of the nip le In and neatlyvflt the same. The edges of the elongated opening J3 and the nipple Ill-are also shearedoff at an angle as shownat =21; seam a substantially smooth surface is "provided, along the areas where the peripherylof. the housing '20 is welded to the contiguous parts of: the .nipple.

" A back-stop generally designatedwby; thenume'ral is pivotally mounted on a, pin 3l ,supported by" side walls 32-and 33 oflaflU-shaped member 34. The member 3 0his kerfjed topro-t video fingers 3.5 and 36 whichextend from an enlarged portion '31 and wherev an opening 38 is provided to receive. the pins 3L, I'he fingerso and 36 arespreadapart sufficiently that they will substantially close the passage in'the'nipple l0 when the member 35., is .in the position shown in Fig. 1 in full lines. '.j\ a

A spring 40 is located within a bushing' fl which is threaded at 42 in a; passage injthe inclined end walli zq' of' the, r'nember 20.1 The inner end ot the spring receiyes a lugll3 proj ecting joutl- ,wardly from. that'portion' of the member 30 where twof gersi35 a dil ififmer'se i 'tothelbody A fla ed r n splaced up nsthetlu g 4.3 .iendnrgceiv s the inn en o h .C l ing", 0 for aiding in maintaining s'aidinner endfirr'con- 'n q with the u gi p s t o 1 Aipl g 1 5, tere d d int -t .bu i flend'm b r ew f war rg o tw rd y bra r Sui able tool wh n said tool engages the hexagonal head 45 that s o a e xteriq lr gfithe ous ng. 1 i is-plu is threadedi atydl into the threads of the. hollow i fi i i fi l ends etal m i to move the fingers 35 and, 35 toanioperat'ive'position and across thepassafge in the nipple; HI. I

rating 1 1 59 e se inner? en a ged w- N hi i 'zr r e a .ntqigithe .,ilit r el threaded 'an externally threaded boss 52 car ried by a packing nut or stuffing box generally designated by the numeral 53. The boss 52 as shown at 54, is threaded into apassage in the top 23, of the housing 20 and is also threaded 'into a passage 55 formed in the top 56 of the U-shaped bearing member 34. The inner reduced end 51 of the operating rod engages a projection 58 on one end of the member 30 so that when the rod 50 is moved inwardly it will press upon the projection and force the member 30 to the dotted line position against a stop 59 which is formed integrally with the inner face ofthe end wall 24 of the housing 20. At this time the spring 40 is compressed against the action of the rod 50.

A wheel or manipulating member 60 is secured to the outer end of the rod 50 for moving the rod inwardly or outwardly within the housing 20 and for causing the latch 30 to be moved into an inoperative position or for releasing the said member to the action of the spring 40.

The operation of my device is as follows. In

order to insert a tool through the nipple l it is necessary to move the rod 50 inwardly so that it will act on the projection 58 and force the mem-' ber 30 to the inoperative or dotted. line position in Fig. 1. If it be desired at'any time to sup-' port the tools in the nipple l0 it is only necessary Whenthere'is danger of the tools falling the member 30 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 so that it will obstruct the passageway in the nipple. In view of the fact that the obstructing member is in the form of a kerf the operating wires which carry the tools may be reciprocated through the nipple as desired, but said fingers will be in a position to engage and support a tool which lhasibeen released accidentally or which has beenslid into the nipple for the mere purpose of retaining the tool in supported relation in the nipple. i

V The stuffingbox 53 which carries the operating rod 50 for the latch or member 30 performs a double function in that it not only prevents the loss ofliquids from the nipple II) but also through the threaded inner end 52 secures the U-shaped supporting member 34 to the housing 20. Thus it will be seen that by partly unscrewing the stufiing box the support 34 and likewise the latch 30 will bereleased. i j l Ic1 m=,@ i 1. A back-stop nipple comprising a hollow body having an elongated opening in the wall thereof,

ahousing secured to the wall and enclosing the opening, a U'-shaped support in the housing, said support and housing having alined andthreaded passages, a stuffing box having the inner end threaded into the alinedpassages and securing the support to theihousing, a, pin carried by the support, allatch having a body. portion piv-' oted; on Jthe pin and finger extending from the body at anlangle to each other, a resilient means forcingithe fingersacross the passage inthe hollow body for obstructing said passage to having an elongated opening in the :wall thereof, 1 1

a housing secured to the'wall and enclosing the opening, a, U-shaped support in the housing, said support and housing having alined and threaded passages, a stuffing box having the inner end threaded into the alined passages and securing the support to the housing, a pin carried by the support, a latch having a body portion pivoted on the pin and fingers extending from the body at an angle to each other, a resilient means forcing the fingers across the passage in the hollow body for obstructing said passage to prevent tools from passing through the body, and means for manually moving the latch to an inoperative position in said body, said manual means being slidably mounted in the stufling box.

3; A back-stop nipple comprising a hollow body having an elongated opening in the wall thereof,

a housing-secured to the wall and enclosing the opening, a U-shaped support in the housing, said support and housing having alined and threaded passages, a stuffing box having the inner end threaded 'into the, alined passages and securing the support to the housing, a pin carried by the support, a latch having a body portion pivoted on the pin and fingers extending from the body at'an angletoeach other, aresilient means forcing, the fingers. across the passage in the .hollow body for obstructing said passage to prevent tools from passing through the body, a rod slidably mounted in the stufling box and having the inner end engaging one end of the latch, the other end located exteriorly 0f the body, and a manipulating member on the outer end for manually reciprocating the rod for moving the latch to an inoperative position. g

4. A back-stop nipple comprising a hollow body having alaterally disposedpocket, a latch in the pocket, .a' support for the latch, means pivotally mounting ,an intermediate portion of the latch within the support, 'said latch having a prong portion adapted to extend acrossthe passage in the hollow body to obstruct, the passage, means in thepocket' tending to forcelthe pron portion across the passage to catch -tools inadvertently falling throu'ghf'said passage, a stuffing box mounted in a wall of the pocket, and a rod slidable. in the-box, engagingthellatch and moving the prong portion into the pocket and entirely out of the passage. I V

5. A back-stop nipple comprising a hollow body having a laterally disposed pocket, a latch in the pocket, 9, support for the latch, means pivotally mounting an intermediate portion of the latch within the support, said latch having a prong portion adapted to extend across the passage in the hollow body to obstruct the passage, means in the pocket tending to force the prong portion across the passage to catch tools inadvertently falling through said passage, .9, stuffing box mounted in a wall of the pocket, and a rod slidable in the box; engagingthelatch and moving the prong portion to ani-noperativeposition entirely within the pocket; said stuffing box having means for removablyconriectingthe support tothebody BURTON E. BAILEY. 

